If you’re writing for a living (or even as part of your job), you want to write faster.  The quicker you get those words out, the sooner the task is done, and the sooner you can move on to the next.  Just like anything, though, rushing through a project can mean you’re left with a final product that misses the mark.

Want to write faster?  I have a few tips to help get you there.

Review, then Leave It

Our brains have a remarkable way of working on projects, even when we’re not actively thinking about that project.

Have you ever worked on a crossword puzzle, and missed a few answers that you just couldn’t think of?  You knew them, but for whatever reason they’re tucked away in the recesses of your brain and no matter how hard you reach you can’t get them.  So, you put the crossword away and then a few hours later, even without dwelling on the clues, you come back to it and suddenly you know the answer immediately.

When you know you have a writing task coming up, review the topic for a few minutes that morning (or even the day before), then put it aside.  Don’t dwell on it, let thoughts come through naturally, and let your brain subconsciously put the thing together for you.

Use AI the Write Way

AI is a tool.  When humans invented the drill, it didn’t make it unnecessary to ever drill holes again; it made it easier and faster to drill holes.  When we invented the washing machine, it didn’t eliminate the need to wash clothing; it made washing easier and faster.

Using AI as a research tool (and to check your grammar), means you can take what used to be a process consisting of several hours, and condense that down to several minutes.

Where people are getting into trouble is they’re using AI to completely do all the work for them.  Don’t be that guy.

Learn more about how to use AI the write way.

Outline Before Starting

When I sit down to write, I usually have a decent idea of where I’m going with the article.  Sometimes there are twists and turns, sometimes I have to restructure, but for the most part it’s all bouncing around up in the old noggin (thanks to that first tip and/or trick I mentioned).

So, rather than try to remember all the things sequentially, I type out my headings and create the structure.  That gives me a visual, one where I can look at what I’m up to and say, “aha, that one should actually be first, then that one should be last.”  It’s a bit like a Rainman situation, or when Zach Galifianakis’s character Alan in the movie The Hangover is reading cards.

Now, it’s just a matter of filling in the information.

Don’t Try to Type Faster

This is where errors occur.  I’m a fairly speedy typer (thank you tenth grade keyboarding class).  But that’s also because I’ve been writing a lot of words for a long time.  If I want to pound out an article faster, I’ll have all the words traffic jammed in my brain.  To ensure I don’t lose any, I quickly type them all out, my fingers flying over the keyboard like… someone with really fast fingers.  I have no analogy here.

Inevitably, I make so many mistakes that the page is riddled with red squiggly lines, and it actually takes longer to go back and fix the errors than it would have been to just type a little slower and ensure I’m not making all those mistakes.

Save Hours Every Day by Hiring a Writer

Here’s my biggest and most helpful hint to write faster… y’all ready for this?

Don’t do it at all.

That’s it.  Don’t even bother writing.  Instead, have a professional writer do it all for you.  You’ll have amazing content to share, 100% written by a human, and you won’t even have to lift a finger (I on the other hand, will lift several fingers).

So, if you’re ready to put dozens of hours back in your workweek, then we should talk about your ghostwriting, blogging, or newsletter needs (PS, if you don’t see your needs on that teensy weensy list, we can still chat – I have a good network of writers if I don’t have the skills you need).

PPS – Start to finish, typing this blog took 15 minutes because I used the tricks I just told you about.  Editing, making images, uploading, etc. will take a little bit more.